Signaling device fob automobiles



DE WITT H. GRAY.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICA'HON FILED MMLZL I9l6.

Patented Au". 8, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DE WIT'I H. GRAY, 0F FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed March 27, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DE WITT H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Fresno, county of Fresno, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Signaling Device for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a signaling device to be attached to automobiles to indicate that the driver of an automobile expects to turn a corner.

The objects of the invention are to have a simple effective signal which is operative in an easy manner, which can be constructed at small cost, and which cannot easily get out of order.

Other objects attained are hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing accompanying this specification Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the signaling device complete. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, along sectional line :1: shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the signaling device showing the manner of making the contact in the electric circuit, along sectional line a: in Fig. 4. 1 Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the device along section line y, in Fig. 3.

In said drawing A is the housing, which consists of a tube having a lateral slot, 2 therein. At oneend of such slot catches 3 and 3 are formed. These catches are preferably formed of slots connecting with the end of slot 2, and at an acute angle thereto.

B is the signal support and consists of a rod, preferably hollow which will readily slide within housing A. At one end of the rod B there is a handle 4 which extends through slot 2, and is slidable therein, so by the movement of handle 4 along slot 2 rod B slides in housing 4, and can be made to project therefrom.

The end of housing A adjacent to catches 3 and 3 is open, and rod B extends there through and beyond the housing. At said end there is attached a green electric light bulb, and a signal which I have represented on the drawing in the form of a target 18. This target can be colored. In housing A, near slot 3 I have inserted on opposite sides blocks of insulation 5 and 6, and through such blocks of insulation I have placed contact members 7 and 8, which emerge through the housing, and the end of such members Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 87,137.

form a part of the interior wall of the hous- 1ng.

10 is a battery. Contact member 7 is con- 1 nected by wire 9 to one pole of battery 10,

and contact member 8 is attached to the other pole of battery 10 by wire 11.

To rod B, near the end where handle 4 is attached I have placed springs 12 and 13 which are connected by wires 14 and 15 to the poles of the electric light bulb 16. Springs 12 and 13 have blocks of insulating material separating them from rod B. These insulation blocks are designated 27 and 28. Springs 12 and 13 are on opposite sides of the interior wall of housing A, and when the rod B is pushed forward and handle 4 is in slot 3, the spring 12 comes in contact with member 7, and spring 13 comes in contact with member 8, thus completing the circuit between the poles of the battery and the electric light bulb, forming a light. This light should be green to distinguish it from the tail lights ordinarily used on automobiles. The relation of the springs 12 and 13 and contact members 7 and 8 are such that contact is had only when the handle 4 is in catch 3.

23 is a collar attached to rod B between springs 12 and 13 and the bulb 16.

22 is a flange turned inward on housing A, at the end through which rod B passes.

21 is a compression spring between collar 23 and flange 22, and is constructed so that when the rod B is pushed outwardly by sliding handle 4 through slot 2 to catch 3 or 3", spring 21 is compressed and when handle4 in this position is tripped, and left free to move, spring 21 will force rod B back into housing A.

29 is a flange at the end of rod B of such size that it will slide in the container. Its purpose is to steady the movement of rod B.

25 and 26 are clamps for holding target 18 to rod B.

19 and 20 are brackets by which the housing A is attached to some portion of the automobile, preferably in a position so that the driver can easily operate the signal from his seat by moving handle 4, and when the green light or the target is extended it can readily be seen by anyone in the rear of. the automobile. It is desirable in the night time to have the signal operated by means of the green electric light bulb 16, but in day time the target only is necessary,

which can be of any desirable color. For this purpose I have formed opposite slot 3 slot 3", which will lock the rod in such extended position without bringing the springs 12 and 13 in contact with contact members 7 and S.

I claim as my invention and desire Letters Patent for;-

1. In a signaling apparatus for an automobile. the combination oi a tubular con tainer having a lateral slot therein, at one end thereof, having a notch on each side of the slot, a hollow rod having a collar near one end thereof, slidably disposed in the container and having a handle at the end oi said rod and adjacent to the collar, the handle being constructed to project through the slot and outside the container, a signaling device consisting of a green electric light bulb attached to one end of said hollow rod, and a target surrounding the bulb, two curred spring projections on opposite sides of said rod adjacent to the handle and be tween the handle and the collar, attached to the rod with insulation between the rod and the springs, such springs being constructed to press against the interior wall of the container, the springs being separated from the rod by blocks of non-conducting material, insulated wire connections from the poles of the electric light bulb to each of such springs, two blocks of non-conducting material inserted in the wall of the container, opposite to each other, and at one end of the slot, contact members constructed of conducting material projecting through the insulation blocks in the container in such relation to the curved springs that when the handle is in the slot or in one of said notches, the springs will not touch the con tact members, but when the handle is in the other notch the springs will touch the coir tact members, an electric battery, and a wire from each of the poles of the battery to the contact members.

2. In a signaling apparatus for an automobile, the combination or a tubular container having a lateral slot therein; with a notch at one end thereof, a hollow rod having a collar near one end thereof, slidably disposed in the container, and having a handle at the end of said rod and adjacent to the collar, the handle being constructed to project through the slot and outside the con tainer, a signaling device consisting of a green electric light bulb attached to one end of said hollow rod, two curved spring projections on opposite sides of said rod between the handle and the collar, attached to the rod with insulation between the rod and the springs, such springs being constructed to press against the interior wall of the container, insulated wire connections from the poles of the electric light bulb to each of such springs, two blocks of non-conducting material through the wall of the container, opposite to each other, and at one end of the slot, contact members of conducting matcrial constructed to project through the insulation blocks in the container in such relation to the curved springs that when the handle is in the slot the springs will not touch the Contact members, but when the handle is in the notch the springs will touch the contact members, an electric battery, and a wire from each of the poles of the battery to the contact members.

In a signaling apparatus for an auto mobile, the combination of a tubular con tainer having a lateral slot therein, with notches at one end thereof, on opposite sides of the slot, the container having an inwardly projecting flange at one end thereof, a hollow rod having a collar near one end thereof, slidably disposed in the container and having a handle attached thereto, at the end of said rod and adjacent to the collar, the handle being constructed to project. through the slot and outside the container, a signaling device consisting of a target, and a green electric light bulb in the center of such target attached to one end of said hollow rod, two curved spring projections on opposite sides of said rod adjacent to the handle and between the handle and the collar, and insulated from such rod, such springs being constructed to press against the interior wall of the tubular container, insulated wire connections from the poles of the electric light bulb to each of such springs, two blocks of insulation through the wall of the container, opposite to each other, and at one end of the slot, contact members constructed of conducting material projecting through the insulation blocks in the container in such relation to the curved springs that when the handle is in one of the notches the springs will register with the contact members, but they will not register when the handle is in the other notch or in the slot, an electric battery, and a Wire from each of the poles of the battery to the contact members, and a compression spring between the flange and the collar constructed to normally force the rod into the container when the handle is free to slide in the slot.

DE \VITT H. GRAY. lVitnesses FREDA E. Bononn, G. R. SHANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. V 

